Photo: FAYEZ NURELDINE / AFP / Getty Images
A reptile rescue operation is underway in Queens after three large ball pythons were discovered near Forest Park on Thursday. Animal rescue officials from Puppy Kitty NYC spotted a man attempting to move the snakes back into the woods, thinking he was harming them. They managed to capture one of the four-foot-long pythons, named Kevin by the rescuers, but the other two remain at large. The NYPD assisted in the rescue, and the captured python was taken to Animal Care Centers of NYC for care due to the cold weather.
The origin of the pythons remains unclear, as it is illegal to own exotic animals like these snakes in New York City. Meagan Licari from Puppy Kitty NYC speculated that the snakes were likely abandoned by an owner who could no longer care for them. Licari expressed concern that the remaining snakes might not survive the upcoming cold weather, urging locals to report any sightings.
This incident is unusual for the area, as Licari noted, "We've rescued a lot of cats and dogs — but this is a first." The captured python is now being relocated to a place where owning such reptiles is legal.
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